History of King John

King John. Thus have I yielded up into your hand
The circle of my glory.

[Giving the crown]

Cardinal Pandulph. Take again
2195From this my hand, as holding of the pope
Your sovereign greatness and authority.

King John. Now keep your holy word: go meet the French,
And from his holiness use all your power
To stop their marches 'fore we are inflamed.
2200Our discontented counties do revolt;
Our people quarrel with obedience,
Swearing allegiance and the love of soul
To stranger blood, to foreign royalty.
This inundation of mistemper'd humour
2205Rests by you only to be qualified:
Then pause not; for the present time's so sick,
That present medicine must be minister'd,
Or overthrow incurable ensues.

Cardinal Pandulph. It was my breath that blew this tempest up,
2210Upon your stubborn usage of the pope;
But since you are a gentle convertite,
My tongue shall hush again this storm of war
And make fair weather in your blustering land.
On this Ascension-day, remember well,
2215Upon your oath of service to the pope,
Go I to make the French lay down their arms.

[Exit]

King John. Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet
Say that before Ascension-day at noon
2220My crown I should give off? Even so I have:
I did suppose it should be on constraint:
But, heaven be thank'd, it is but voluntary.

[Enter the BASTARD]

Philip the Bastard. All Kent hath yielded; nothing there holds out
2225But Dover castle: London hath received,
Like a kind host, the Dauphin and his powers:
Your nobles will not hear you, but are gone
To offer service to your enemy,
And wild amazement hurries up and down
2230The little number of your doubtful friends.

King John. Would not my lords return to me again,
After they heard young Arthur was alive?

Philip the Bastard. They found him dead and cast into the streets,
An empty casket, where the jewel of life
2235By some damn'd hand was robb'd and ta'en away.

Philip the Bastard. So, on my soul, he did, for aught he knew.
But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad?
Be great in act, as you have been in thought;
2240Let not the world see fear and sad distrust
Govern the motion of a kingly eye:
Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;
Threaten the threatener and outface the brow
Of bragging horror: so shall inferior eyes,
2245That borrow their behaviors from the great,
Grow great by your example and put on
The dauntless spirit of resolution.
Away, and glister like the god of war,
When he intendeth to become the field:
2250Show boldness and aspiring confidence.
What, shall they seek the lion in his den,
And fright him there? and make him tremble there?
O, let it not be said: forage, and run
To meet displeasure farther from the doors,
2255And grapple with him ere he comes so nigh.

King John. The legate of the pope hath been with me,
And I have made a happy peace with him;
And he hath promised to dismiss the powers
Led by the Dauphin.
2260

Philip the Bastard. O inglorious league!
Shall we, upon the footing of our land,
Send fair-play orders and make compromise,
Insinuation, parley and base truce
To arms invasive? shall a beardless boy,
2265A cocker'd silken wanton, brave our fields,
And flesh his spirit in a warlike soil,
Mocking the air with colours idly spread,
And find no cheque? Let us, my liege, to arms:
Perchance the cardinal cannot make your peace;
2270Or if he do, let it at least be said
They saw we had a purpose of defence.